Source: Top cop engages Matanga over ‘corrupt’ junior – NewsDay Zimbabwe
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
POLICE Commissioner Erasmus Makodza, who was recently arrested and charged with criminal abuse of office, has filed a complaint to his boss, Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga, accusing a constable of corruptly engaging an interested party in a matter which is before the courts.
Makodza, who is in charge of Matabeleland North province, is out on $10 000 bail in a case he is accused of illegally crafting a deal for his alleged girlfriend, Mawonei Chapfudza, which enabled her to enter into a farming joint venture with the police at Lendy Farm, Marondera in 2019.
In a letter addressed to Matanga dated March 4, 2021, Makodza through his lawyers from Nyamayaro Makanza and Bakasa Legal Practice accused constable Fortunate Dube of Marondera District Headquarters of engaging in underhand dealings with land developer, Felix Munyaradzi, conduct which is likely to bring the reputation of the force into disrepute.
Makodza is embroiled in a botched US$40 000 land deal with Munyaradzi and the issue is before the courts.
“Our client is a complainant in a case of fraud where the accused is Felix Munyaradzi. Our instructions are that your officer Constable Fortunate Dube is engaged in a suspicious relationship with Felix Munyaradzi which amounts to corruption practices,” the letter read in part.
“Our client says so because it has been established that Constable Fortunate Dube is involved in financial transactions with Felix Munyaradzi, in that on January 15, 2021 they transacted for $1 000. On February 15, 2021, Felix Munyaradzi recharged Constable Fortunate Dube’s phone with $105 (worth of airtime). On February 22, 2021, Felix Munyardzi sent $500 to Constable Fortunate Dube.
“It has also been established that the house located on stand number 8224 Rusike Phase 3 in Marondera registered in Constable Fortunate Dube’s name was built using funds from Felix Munyaradzi,” read the letter.
The lawyers said it was also established that Dube was married to a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission official, Eric Chacha, who is the investigating officer in a case involving Makodza.
“Considering the above circumstances, we humbly request that your respected office cause investigations into conduct of Constable Fortunate Dube. We shall be grateful to know the outcome of your investigations,” the letter read in part.
On February 10, 2021, Makodza wrote to the Special Anti-Corruption Unit asking it to investigate Chacha for abuse of office after he allegedly got him arrested in a bid to rescue Munyaradzi over the botched land deal.
- Follow Winstone on Twitter @widzoanto
COMMENTS
“Top Cop”, Police Commissioner Erasmus Makodza is a cop scheming to steal ownership of a police farm in Marondera? What a lucky man he is, as he also has a farmer girlfriend who looks after his farming interests at this police owned farm. Perhaps he though that as his first name was Erasmus, he could easily be a farm boss. Even if the farm his lady lover farmed for him was not even his.
What’s happening in the ZRP these days? What about the excellent business rule that workers should always stick to their knitting? Makodza’s knitting should surely be policing and not farming…and of course not stealing farms.
But Makodza looks to me more like a 25- to 30-year-old and they claim that he is a Commissioner of Police. It cannot be. But it can and does happen in our ZRP as that gold spaghetti on his shoulder and shirt collars proves that he’s a very big police boss.
And stupid cases like this are happening every day in the ZRP.
And it’s also said that he’s in charge of Matabeland North police. Again, this cannot be. But in the ZRP anything can happen.
Especially bad things.
Please God help and comfort the suffering people of Matabeleland North and the long-suffering farm workers at that police owned farm in Marondera.